For quite a few years now, my son has babbled on and on for hours about all the different types of Pokemon: "Water types, Fire types, Air...Psychic!"
Honestly, it got to the point where I thought he was speaking another language. As a single mom with multiple jobs and commitments, lord knows I try my best to always be 100 percent on the ball with all that my son is interested in.
However, I for the life of me, could not wrap my head around the logistics of a Pokemon trading card game that has existed since 1996. By 1996, I was heading into high school soon and had zero interest in anything to do with Pokemon. I was more into movies like Clueless and The Craft, makeup and Sweet Valley High books.
My floor in the house has been routinely littered with Pokemon cards, I have sat and tried to watch all the episodes of Pokemon Origins and Digimon.
Yet, I didn't get it. Most of why, I feel is the fact that I can't sit still for too long and watch these movies, or play a card game. My minds is always off worrying about bills, school, or or some other God forsaken circumstance.
Suddenly this app called Pokemon GO! comes out on Google Play and Apple Stores. I remember everyone on my Facebook friends list raving about this app and counting down until its release. The night it was released, my Facebook lit up with status updates from happy friends of all ages. Friends my age and some older looking to reminisce, friends i go to school with that are a bit younger than me and have always known Pokemon...they were raised on it. I can identify with that. At 33 years old, I am still just as obsessed with Jem and The Holograms, as I was back in 1986.
Grandparents and coworkers, children my sons age and younger....all downloading this app and getting out of the house to hunt for Pokemon.
In this game there are Pokestops. These Pokestops are generally located at historic landmarks. These Pokestops are highlighted with blue discs that you spin when you are at or very close by the historic landmarks. When you spin these blue discs, you get Pokeballs (which are used to catch Pokemon...sometimes you get grape balls which help you immensely). You can also get potions, raspberries and other useful items to help the Pokemon trainer do their best.
There are also lures. Lures help you catch rare Pokemon and help attract more Pokemon to the location of the Lure.
There are loads of Pokemon favorites to catch. Weedles, drowzies, and spearows are pretty common where we live. However, it is an exciting event when you catch a Pikachu, Scyther, or Charmander around here.
My son downloaded the Pokemon Go app on his tablet. It didn't last very long though. the app was not very compatible with it. After that, he begged and begged me to download the app onto my phone. After much convincing (since I have very low memory on my phone) I agreed.
Little did I know, my son would delete my Facebook app to install the Pokemon Go app.
Him doing so ended up being the best decision I ever made.
Suddenly, my son and I are running around all over looking for Pokemon. Discovering cool new historic sites and monuments, becoming more and more active, and I can finally finally understand exactly what Pokemon is, who all the Pokemon are, what is the difference between a fire type, and a psychic type and why he loves the game so much. My son got all excited when he finally caught me the coveted Pikachu I had been asking him to find me.
My school (Bristol Community College) had a Pokemon walk last month. That walk went over so well, I am confident they will be having another one very soon. They dropped lures at the admission and financial aid offices in an attempt to get students registered for the fall semester, What student wouldn't want to come to a community college where you can catch Pokemon on your downtime?
A few of the neighborhood parks are also taking advantage of organizing a Pokemon Walk, and the public library too! The public library has been struggling for some time to keep community members coming in and utilizing their resources. Sometimes you have to go with the ebbs and flows of technology to continue to be relevant in today's society.
Recently, there have been some complaints and incidents about the use of Pokemon Go!
Two Californian men fell off the edge of an Ocean bluff looking for Pokemon. How stupid can you be? Pay attention. Common sense has to still be used. I know for a fact that the vast majority of players are not falling off cliffs chasing Pokemon. That was an extreme example of the dangers of this app.
There was also a reported attempted abduction in Bridgewater, Massachusetts which was later ruled out as a misunderstanding. If you are going to go out late at night to hunt Pokemon, please do not do it alone. Be safe. Yes, you are playing a game, but you are still out late at night by yourself. If you wouldn't normally walk to the corner store after 11 p.m. by yourself, but would do so to catch a Pokemon, please evaluate your life choices.
Lastly, officials in Fairhaven, Mass. are stating that all these recent rashes of Pokemon players rushing to Fort Phoenix are damaging the history behind the historic landmark.
Concrete from the walls are crumbling, the grass is being ruined and people are leaving their trash behind.
I just have to say: The vast majority of Pokemon Go players are NOT responsible for these damages!
Every night, for weeks now, kids of all ages are getting together at night to hunt Pokemon in this historic park. They are not out joining gangs, resorting to gun violence, doing drugs, or having unprotected sex (I think). They are in a safe environment enjoying nature, taking in history, spending time with their friends and YES catching some Pokemon!
I say to the officials involved with Fort Phoenix: You have people coming to tour your historic park. Revel in it, utilize it, offer for them to clean the park up if they are going to use it, charge for concessions, have some entertainment there and charge for it in order to make Fort Phoenix an even better park to visit.
A frequent Fort Phoenix goer Chris Savageau sounded off yesterday on his Facebook about this very issue:
"I really hate it when people justify everyone for doing something bad when in fact, it was caused by the poor choice of some individuals acting stupid. People need to learn how to take responsibility and not turn a good thing into a bad thing I see it as people having an excuse to complain about something because it "bothers" them or so. I've been riding the Pokemon train every since I was about 5 years old and to now see it getting popular and everyone loving it even more just brings a smile to my face because its one of my most favorite things in the world and to share the same interest with a lot of people and unite together is such a wonderful feeling!"
I tend to agree Chris! In a world filled with violence and an extreme possibility to have Trump as our next president, I am all for anything that will unite us. Lately, it seems we are all divided over just about anything.
So, if Pokemon Go is what unites me to my son and my fellow classmates and coworkers, so be it!
Pokemon Go players unite!
